The rest of my life: Heath care and social safety net

[AbbyR]

I have been watching my husband suffer for several years with various ailments, and after our trip to the Social Security office yesterday, I promised myself that I will dedicate the rest of my life to bringing universal health care and some kind of safety net to this country.

For the past three years, we have been trying to get some sort of diagnosis for my husband, age 65 (in May). They have finally decided that he has PLS (first cousin to ALS) and emphysema (He quit smoking many years ago.) He has gone from about 165 pounds to 100 pounds, can hardly walk at all, is terribly weak and and has trouble breathing. His doctors don't expect him to live more than a year. But he is still struggling to go to work every day.

I am the editor and a writer for a small newspaper and make very little, even with a master's degree. There are no jobs in Southeast Arkansas that I can find that will pay me more. He wanted to retire from his job as a chemist, but even with a master's degree, he can't afford to do so. He could easily get on disability if he would quit work long enough to qualify, but we would lose the house and be out on the street if he did. Even if we could make it, putting him on Cobra or on my insurance would cost more than our house payment - thus, he can't retire, we can't afford for him to stop work long enough to qualify for disability, and he will very probably die on the job. We would never be able to afford all of his medications.

As for work, they are allowing him, since all his vacation time and sick leave are gone, to go on family and medical leave when he absolutely has to stay at home.

We cared for my ill mother for years before her death, and put three children through college, and thus, have no savings. The kids were (heaven help us) music majors, and don't make enough yet to help us.

So here I am, watching my husband die, after we have both worked all our lives. The safety net isn't there.

I am going to write to Hillary and every politician I know who has ever expressed an interest in universal health care to see what I can to to help with the cause. I am 55 now, and I'm convinced that's why I'm still alive. I'm supposed to work for this, and I can promise you, I will.

I'm not asking for financial help, but if anyone knows anyone who is working for universal health care, I'd love to know. If they need a writer, I'm ready to help.